One More Adventure
by cecania13
Summary: While life in the Undying Lands is everything an old hobbit could hope for and dream of, Bilbo finds himself longing for the old days, the days of his youth and adventures.


Slowly smoking his pipe, Bilbo stared out at the Undying Lands. He had stopped trying to figure out how long he had been here a while ago. There was no point in knowing since it didn't matter. He felt like a young hobbit again and that was a miracle he was grateful for. But more than that, he was happy for another miracle.

His nephew, although still carrying his memories, was more like the hobbit he used to be. Frodo had told him a little of what had happened after he had left the Shire, but he had also left a lot out. And even though Bilbo wanted to know, he couldn't cause Frodo more pain.

"More and more I find you here, old friend. Smoking your pipe and staring at nothing. Is something wrong?"

Looking at the speaker, Bilbo smiled as Gandalf joined him. He knew that his old friend didn't actually look like a wise old man, but he kept the form for Bilbo and Frodo's sake. He also said that he was used to it, after living in it for so long. "What could possibly be wrong here?"

"You tell me, Bilbo."

A soft chuckle left the hobbit. Never try to trick a wizard with words. As Gandalf settled beside him, Bilbo kept smoking, He wasn't sure he could put what he was feeling into words. The Undying Lands were beautiful and had everything a hobbit could ever need. The Valar were gracious and kind and the Eldar…. Never had he imagined so many elves! And all of them so grateful to a pair of hobbits who had played roles in saving Middle Earth. Frodo's was significantly bigger, but he wouldn't have had one at all if not for Bilbo.

"What is it, Bilbo?"

He puffed out a ring of smoke. "I blame this entirely on you, you know," he accused.

"And I might take the blame for it if I knew what this was."

"Maybe as a boy I was always looking for adventures, but I grew up to be a respectful Baggins. I left all of that Took nonsense behind me and was happy in Bag End."

"My dear Bilbo, are you still mad about the dragon incident?" Gandalf sighed.

"Mad? No, never that. I blame you for awakening the Took in me, for giving rise to that foolhardy half of me that never really went away. If it wasn't for Frodo, I'm sure I would have run out that door again."

Gandalf chuckled. "I merely gave you a nudge out the door."

"A nudge? You invited thirteen dwarves on a quest into my home!"

"And it was quite the merry gathering. The hobbit you are now would have enjoyed it much more I think."

Perhaps, but only if it was those thirteen dwarves again. "There were times when I wasn't sure I would ever see home again," he said quietly.

"It didn't go completely as planned, but then these things rarely do. And in the end, we did accomplish what we set out to do."

"Even if the cost was higher than we expected."

"Yes," Gandalf agreed, sighing. "If there was one thing I could change, it would have been that cost. I don't think any of us expected it to end like that."

Bilbo wasn't sure about that. Gandalf had a knack for knowing what was going to happen, but he let it go and they fell into silence. Puffs of smoke rose between them as Bilbo found his thoughts returning to that long ago quest. More and more he thought of it. He had wanted to go to Erebor again, to see the Lonely Mountain and his friends. Of all of them, he had only ever seen Balin again and that brief visit had made him miss the others all the more. But age had caught up with him and he had only made it to Rivendell. Elrond was a gracious host and he had been happy there, but he had longed for the mountain and his dwarven friends. His damn Tookish heart had wanted to go all the way and it still did.

"I would apologize, but I know that going with Thorin and the rest of them did you a world of good."

There really was nothing to apologize for. It wasn't Gandalf's fault he had never been able to fit back into the Baggins name. Gandalf had given him the nudge, yes, but Bilbo was the one that had run out that front door so many years ago.

Gandalf's hand patted his shoulder. "Frodo is coming. Talk with him for a bit, say what's on your mind and in your heart."

Bilbo placed his hand over Gandalf's and smiled. "You've always been a good friend, Gandalf."

"I will always be your friend, Bilbo Baggins, and you mine."

He smiled as the wizard walked away even as Frodo came up the stairs.

"What were you two talking about?" Frodo asked curiously.

"Adventures," Bilbo chuckled.

"Adventures? Uncle, I'm not sure either of us should be going on adventures anymore."

But every day Frodo ventured further and further from the home they had been given. He always told Bilbo where he went and who and what he saw, but it wasn't the same for his uncle. His age, despite feeling half of it, prevented him from going far. He didn't begrudge his nephew his exploring, but he missed being able to do it.

"Is everything alright, Uncle?" Frodo asked, concern on his face.

Bilbo smiled. "I wish I could have seen the Lonely Mountain one last time."

"You said that before. When we were in Rivendell. I'm sorry you didn't get there again."

So was he. He wanted to see Erebor at her full glory which is what he knew Dain would have gotten her to. But it wouldn't have been the same. No matter how many of his friends were still there, there would always be some who never would be.

"I wish I could have seen it," Frodo admitted, propping his feet up on a low bench. "The mountain I went to wasn't nearly as attractive as Erebor."

No, Bilbo couldn't imagine it had been. He knew now about what he had done by leaving the ring to Frodo, about the terrible burden he had forced his nephew to bear. The fact that Frodo was even still with him was a miracle in itself. "Frodo, I know I said I was sorry," Bilbo said quietly, "but knowing what I do now, I can't help but feel responsible for everything."

Blue eyes looked at him and he was glad they were free of pain. "I don't blame you, Uncle. I never have. There were days when I wished the ring had never come to me, but it couldn't have happened any other way. And there was no way you could have known what would happen. You just thought that it was a magic ring."

He should have known better though. Magic came with a great price and his nephew had been the one to pay it.

Frodo smiled at him and patted his hand. "Don't worry about it, Uncle. Here, let me tell you about what I found today."

Bilbo returned the smile and put out his pipe. He had found that when Frodo told his stories, it was better to listen with his eyes closed. He had an easier time imagining what his nephew described. Settling back in his pillowed chair, Bilbo closed his eyes and listened to Frodo's tale.

As his nephew described wonderful sights, he found himself drifting off, lulled by both the steady, pleasing tone of Frodo's voice and of the soft breeze through the leaves. The scent of spring grass filled the air, dozens of flowers following and always complimenting one another to be pleasing to the nose. It was a wonderful life that they had here in the Undying Lands and he was glad that he had been allowed to come here.

Feeling the breeze on his skin, Bilbo let out a sigh. Perhaps he should light his pipe again. There was nothing better than good pipe weed on a fine day like this. Reaching for it, he frowned when his hand skimmed over something soft and definitely not a pillow. It took him a moment longer to realise that he was no longer sitting but lying down in the soft something. He shrugged it off. He felt too pleasant for this to be something wrong. Perhaps Frodo had tucked him in before he fell asleep.

He suddenly heard and felt heavy footsteps coming toward him. Couldn't they see that he was trying to rest? Normally the Eldar were much more respectful than this. And they didn't walk so heavily either.

"Found him!"

"I knew he'd turn up eventually!"

His frown returned as the sun shining on his skin was blocked and he could tell someone was leaning over him even with his eyes closed. "Can't you leave a hobbit alone when he's trying to nap?" he asked.

Dual chuckles came from above him. "But this isn't the time to nap, Bilbo."

"Definitely not. We're all together again and it's time to go."

"Go? I'm not going anywhere."

"We've heard that before," both of the voices laughed together.

"Leave the hobbit be. He's only just gotten here and you're already pestering him," another voice called.

"We aren't pestering him."

"And even if we were, he'd deserve it for being so late."

Wait. He knew those voices. He hadn't heard them in a lifetime, but he knew those voices. Opening his eyes, his heart actually skipped a couple beats as he saw two very familiar faces grinning down at him. "Fíli? Kíli?" he whispered.

"Yes, it's us, Bilbo," Fíli said, his grin growing as he held out a hand to him.

"Who else were you expecting?" Kíli asked, holding out his hand like his brother.

"I wasn't expecting anyone," Bilbo said honestly, hesitating to take their hands. Was he dreaming? He wouldn't put it past himself. He had been dreaming of his former companions more often in the past few weeks. But this felt real, looked real. _They_ looked real.

"Come along, Bilbo," they both said, shaking their hands slightly. When he still didn't grab them, they reached further down and grabbed his waistcoat. Lifting him easily like they had so long ago, they set him on his feet and grinned at him some more.

Bilbo almost felt the fool as tears stung his eyes. If this was a dream, it was a very good one. It had been so long since he had seen the brothers' faces, but he hadn't forgotten a thing. "It's good to see you two," he said thickly.

Their grins softened slightly and they both gripped his shoulders. "You've been missed as well," Kíli admitted.

"Things just weren't right without our burglar."

A laugh left him at the title. He could remember the panic and confusion that had hit him when Gandalf had claimed that was what he was. But to hear it now was a comfort.

"He's on his feet? Good. We need to get moving. We've lost enough time waiting for him as it is."

Turning to the voice, Bilbo stared at Thorin Oakenshield. He was exactly as he remembered, but neither at the beginning nor the end. This was the friend he had grown to know in the middle of their journey, the Thorin Oakenshield he had been glad he had followed. "Thorin?"

The dwarf king's gaze found him and he lifted a brow. "For someone who claims he was never late in his life, you made us wait a long time, friend."

"Wait? What were you waiting for?"

"For you, of course!" Kíli laughed. "We can't have an adventure without our burglar!"

"And who is we?" Bilbo asked in confusion.

Thorin shook his head even as Fíli and Kíli groaned. They gripped his shoulders and spun him around on the spot and all Bilbo could do was stare.

There standing before him was the full company of Thorin Oakenshield, exactly as they had been when they had set out from Bilbo's home so many decades ago. Grins were on nearly every face as they looked back at him and that would have terrified him if he hadn't known them so well.

"What do you say, Bilbo?" Bofur asked. "Are you ready for another adventure?"

A startled laugh left Bilbo. "I'm not sure I was ready for the last one," he admitted.

The dwarves all laughed and he heard them all agree that he was ready.

Fíli and Kíli both gave his shoulders a quick squeeze before moving over to the group as they began dividing up supplies and getting things ready.

Bilbo stared on, feeling more and more like this was actually real. He didn't look over but he knew when Thorin stepped up beside him. "This isn't a dream, is it?" he asked quietly.

"No, my friend," Thorin agreed. "It isn't a dream."

His eyes closed as he realised what had happened. There was a moment of pain for Frodo, for leaving him behind, but this was the natural course of things. It had been delayed many years, more years than he probably knew, but it was still natural. "I'm sorry I made you wait."

Thorin gripped his shoulder. "You had a life to live. We can't fault you for that although none of us truly expected to wait this long for you since we knew how reckless you could be."

"I had a nephew to take care of," Bilbo huffed, indignant about a dwarf calling him that, "and since you have two of your own you know that you can't be reckless when they're watching."

Thorin chuckled deeply. "Aye and they're always watching."

Smiling, Bilbo tipped his head back and looked up at the sky. He didn't need to look at himself to know that he was once again as he had been, just like the rest of the company. It made him sad to think that all of them had moved on to the next life as well, but he knew it was for the best because the company would never be right with one of them missing. "I think," he said softly, "I'm quite ready for another adventure."

A/N: Yeah, I had another idea. I honestly had this finished before I finished up the last chapter of Aftermath but I wasn't going to post it until I finished that one. I saw a fanart over on tumblr about an older Bilbo sitting with his red book and ghostly Thorin, Fíli, and Kíli were behind him. It made me sob honestly and start thinking. I'd seen other fanarts about Bilbo passing away and being reunited with Thorin (they were mostly slash ones and I'm sorry, but you won't find that in my stories…), but I liked the idea so this creation was born. I have a few ideas for a couple more chapters so hope you enjoy!

Edit: I thought I would tack this on here because I've had a few people ask for the link to the fanart I'm talking about. It's called A Memory of You and is by sweetcrescent on deviantart. Enjoy!


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